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Dreamcast VGA

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The Kuro, a recent VGA box made by enthusiasts in Turkey.

The Dreamcast VGA Box (also known generally as a DC VGA adapter or DC VGA cable) is an accessory for Sega's Dreamcast video game console that allows it to connect to a video display such as a computer monitor or an HDTV set through a VGA port. Because the Dreamcast hardware can produce a VGA-compatible video signal natively, this connection provides improved picture quality compared to standard composite video or S-Video connections, along with support for progressive scan video.

Sega released the original VGA Box as an official accessory in Japan on January 14, 1999, at an MSRP of ¥7000.[1] It was only available in the United States via Sega's online store, retailing between $30 and $50;[2][a] but many third-party versions were also produced and sold worldwide in various form factors.

Most games for the Dreamcast are VGA-compatible, while various workarounds exist to enable VGA output from many of the games that do not feature official support.

Functionality

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Most VGA boxes also have S-Video and composite video output.
A third-party Dreamcast VGA box

VGA output from the Dreamcast consists of a 640×480 image contained within a 720x480 frame that is drawn in progressive scan (480p), suitable for computer monitors and VGA-enabled television sets of its era.[6][7] The Dreamcast was one of the first consoles to support 480p and high-definition television (HDTV) in general.[8][9]

The official VGA Box includes a VGA connector for video output and a headphone jack for stereo audio output, with both intended for use in a typical desktop computer setup; it also includes A/V connectors intended for use with television sets common in its era, with an S-Video connector and RCA connectors[10] for composite video and stereo audio.[11][12]

Most third-party versions are functionally identical to Sega's model,[13][14] but some designs like Performance's add features such as VGA passthrough.[12][15]

Compatibility

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Software

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Most Dreamcast games are compatible with the VGA Box so long as they display in 640×480; this applies to most 3D titles.[16][17] Games marked as incompatible typically present an error message upon boot;[11] such a designation was determined via a simple toggle switch in the game's code.[16] As such, VGA output from most incompatible games can be forced via having the VGA Box unplugged while booting a game,[18][19] temporarily switching the VGA Box into TV mode while booting a game,[13] or using a boot disc such as DC-X.[20] This loophole is not possible for games that only display in lower resolutions, with most sprite-based games rendered fully incompatible with VGA output as a result.[16][21] Though a handful of sprite-based games supported VGA, most notably ones from Capcom, at least some, if not all of their sprites were originally designed for lower-resolution displays and may resultingly appear less detailed when displayed through VGA due to poor image scaling.[16][22]

Hardware

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Dreamcast VGA boxes are compatible with all Dreamcast systems regardless of region since each unit is capable of producing a VGA signal.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Peripheral". Dream Information (in Japanese). Sega. January 1999. p. 12.
  2. ^ "Getting Connected". Next Generation. Vol. 1, no. 1, Lifecycle 2. Imagine Media. September 1999. p. 56. ISSN 1078-9693.
  3. ^ "Top Stocking Stuffers". Official Dreamcast Magazine. No. 3. Imagine Media. January 2000. p. 37.
  4. ^ "How to Get the Most Out of Your Life (and your demo disc)". Official Dreamcast Magazine. No. 11. Imagine Media. February 2001. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Gen-Xmas". Official Dreamcast Magazine. No. 10. Imagine Media. Holiday 2000. p. 34. {{cite magazine}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Linneman, John (April 14, 2019). "DCHDMI review: Dreamcast gets a digital video upgrade - and it's stunning". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  7. ^ Kuchera, Ben (April 23, 2014). "The Dreamcast was the beginning, and the end, of the golden age of peripherals". Polygon. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  8. ^ Reed, Kristan (March 16, 2005). "HD Era: The Case For And Against". Eurogamer. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  9. ^ Whitehead, Dan (February 1, 2009). "Dreamcast: A Forensic Retrospective". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  10. ^ "VGA = Very Good Adapter". Official Dreamcast Magazine. No. 12. Imagine Media. March–April 2001. p. 6. ISSN 1525-1764.
  11. ^ a b Johnston, Chris (January 28, 1999). "Sega Introduces VGA Box". GameSpot. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Gantayat, Anoop (October 25, 1999). "Performance VGA Adapter". IGN. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  13. ^ a b Gantayat, Anoop (November 9, 1999). "Madness Gameware DC-VGA Adapter". IGN. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  14. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (August 15, 2000). "Naki VGA Box". IGN. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  15. ^ Robinson, John (December 8, 1999). "Review: Performance VGA Adapter". CNN. Archived from the original on September 11, 2015. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  16. ^ a b c d Carless, Simon (2004). "Unblur Your Dreamcast Video". Gaming Hacks. O'Reilly Media. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-596-00714-0 – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (October 27, 1999). "Every Performance VGA Adapter Question Answered". IGN. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
  18. ^ Justice, Brandon (October 27, 1999). "VGA Lockout By-Pass Exposed!". IGN. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  19. ^ "Still Adapting". Official Dreamcast Magazine. No. 5. Imagine Media. May–June 2000. p. 11.
  20. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (November 7, 2000). "DC-X for Dreamcast". IGN. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  21. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (January 4, 2001). "Guilty Gear X (Import)". IGN. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  22. ^ Williamson, Colin (September 21, 2000). "TGS 2000: Guilty Gear X Demo Obtained!". IGN. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  23. ^ Chau, Anthony (January 7, 2002). "Shenmue 2 Solutions". IGN. Retrieved July 18, 2024.

Notes

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  1. ^ The U.S. version of Official Dreamcast Magazine stated various prices for the official VGA Box during its run, mentioning it as $30,[3] $40,[4] and $50.[5]
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